The Sticky From The Inside Podcast

Holistic Purpose-Driven Leadership: Building Presence, People & Heart

From a bamboo house in rural Indonesia to the boardrooms of Asia, Dona Amelia’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Now an international keynote speaker, Harvard-trained leadership specialist, and co-founder of EGN Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, she brings a rare blend of performance, psychology, and purpose to the way she helps leaders grow.
In this episode, Dona joins Andy Goram to explore holistic purpose-driven leadership — a style that balances high performance with humanity. She shares how her early life shaped her belief in service, generosity, and resilience, and how those lessons now inform her work helping senior leaders stay authentic, grounded, and connected — even in high-pressure, high-stakes environments.
Dona also explains her own DONA Framework, which blends Purpose, Presence, People, and Performance, and the role of vulnerability in transforming leadership cultures from the inside out.
It’s an inspiring reminder that great leadership isn’t just about what you achieve — it’s about who you are while achieving it.

The Fisher Change Curve: Navigating The Emotional Side Of Change

Change is rarely just a rational process — it’s an emotional journey.
In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, I’m joined by John Fisher, business psychologist, constructivist thinker, and creator of the Fisher Change Curve. His model goes beyond the Kubler-Ross grief curve to capture the messy, shifting emotions people actually experience during change, from anxiety and fear, to guilt, confusion, and eventual acceptance.
We explore why organisations so often mishandle change, the crucial difference between self-initiated and imposed change, and the role of emotional triggers like SCARF. John also shares practical ways leaders can support their teams and themselves through uncertainty, plus his three Sticky Notes of advice for navigating change with confidence and compassion.

Having Tough Conversations: What Leaders Can Learn From the Locker Room

Imagine walking into a locker room just moments after a crushing defeat. Players are angry, deflated, maybe even in tears — and then a sideline reporter steps up and asks the question nobody wants to hear.
That’s where Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster and communications coach Jen Mueller thrives. With 25 years in Sports Journalism, covering high profile sports teams such as the Seattle Seahawks and Mariners, and as founder of Talk Sporty to Me, Jen has mastered the art of having tough conversations under pressure.
In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, Jen reveals what leaders can learn from the sports world about facing into tough conversations with clarity, honesty, and respect. From avoiding false praise to creating psychological safety, she shares practical tools to help managers and teams tackle difficult moments without damaging trust.

Self-Empathy. The Leadership Keystone

Empathy is often described as a “soft skill” — something nice to have, but not essential for business. But what if we’ve been thinking about it all wrong?
In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, I’m joined by Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller — TEDx speaker, executive coach, host of The Empathic Leader podcast, and author of The Empathic Leader: How EQ via Empathy Transforms Leadership for Better Profit, Productivity, and Innovation.
Melissa introduces the idea of practical empathy — empathy as a skill you can develop, measure, and apply every day. We explore why empathy starts at home with self-empathy, the leadership keystone. She explains how reflection and awareness drive better leadership decisions, and why empathy and judgment cannot exist in the same space. Along the way, Melissa shares personal stories, research insights, and practical steps leaders can use to build cultures that are more innovative, more productive, and more human.

The 3 Keys To Build Strong Business Relationships

Strong business relationships don’t happen by accident — they’re built with intention, consistency, and genuine care. In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, I’m joined by Brad Englert, business advisor, former CIO at the University of Texas, and author of Spheres of Influence: How to Create and Nurture High-Quality Connections.
Brad shares the three keys to build strong business relationships that last. Drawing on decades of leadership experience and client work, he explains how these principles work in practice and why so many leaders unintentionally undermine their relationships by skipping them.
We explore real-world stories of trust, missteps, and turning points — from leading complex change to creating partnerships that stand the test of time. Whether you’re managing stakeholders, working with clients, or leading a team, Brad’s approach will help you build stronger, more mutually beneficial relationships that drive results.

The HR Crisis Behind Workplace Wellbeing

In this episode of Sticky From The Inside, I speak with Dr. Jo Burrell, Chartered Psychologist, Co-Founder of Ultimate Resilience, and named on HR Magazine’s “HR Most Influential Thinker” list. Jo has just completed a survey of nearly 1,500 HR practitioners — and the findings are a wake-up call for organisations everywhere.
The results? High levels of stress, exhaustion, and burnout across HR teams. These are the very people responsible for safeguarding the physical and mental health of the workforce — yet many are running on empty themselves.
We explore why HR’s wellbeing is a business-critical issue, the case for HR Supervision, the stigma around showing emotion at work, and how leaders can build psychologically safe workplaces for all.

Unmasking The Truth: How A Late Neurodivergent Diagnosis Changed Everything

What if the reason someone has struggled at work for years isn’t down to effort, ability, or attitude……but because they’ve unknowingly been navigating the world with a neurodivergent brain?
In this deeply honest and emotional conversation, I’m joined by Chris Hood from Neurobridge, who shares his personal experience of receiving an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood — and everything that came after.
We talk openly about the emotional fallout: the initial relief of finally having an explanation, and the overwhelming grief, shame and identity confusion that followed. Chris shares what it feels like to realise you’ve been masking your true self for years and how difficult (and beautiful) the journey back to yourself can be.
But this episode isn’t just about the individual experience. It’s also about what managers, leaders and organisations need to do differently to support neurodivergent colleagues, and why the typical “tick-box” approach to inclusion just doesn’t cut it.
Whether you're neurodivergent, a manager of people, or someone who simply wants to build a more human workplace, this conversation is full of insight, heart, and practical takeaways.

Belonging vs Bonding: Finding Connection in a Divided World

In this powerful episode, Greg Morley—global DEI leader and author of Bond: Belonging and the Keys to Inclusion & Connection—joins Andy to explore what it really takes to foster belonging in the workplace. Together they unpack:
The difference between belonging (how we feel) and bonding (what we do).
Why inclusion requires intentional action, not just good vibes or policies.
How Greg’s global experience across 80+ countries shaped his belief in curiosity as a leadership superpower.
What happens when we honour intent, not just punish mistakes.
And why real inclusion lives in the middle ground—not the extremes.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in the performative DEI conversation or worried about “saying the wrong thing,” this is a must-listen. Practical, warm, and full of insight.

Dr Seuss's Influence On A Modern Storyteller

Can storytelling really transform the way we lead, connect, and communicate at work?
In this episode, I’m joined by TEDx speaker, trauma-informed coach, and author of Meerbott’s Fables, Kelly Meerbott. Inspired by none other than Dr. Seuss, Kelly’s tales aren’t just for bedtime—they’re changing how leaders talk about tough topics like psychological safety, DEI, burnout, and inclusion.
We unpack why storytelling hits so differently today, how it can cut through corporate noise, and why the ability to connect emotionally might just be the most underrated leadership skill of all.
Whether you’re a CEO or a storyteller-in-waiting remember, if they're not moved, they won't move.

Psychological Safety: Stop Guessing & Start Measuring To Supercharge Your Culture

What if your team’s biggest performance blocker wasn’t capability—but silence?
In this episode, I’m joined by psychological safety expert Gary Keogh to unpack why so many people still don’t feel safe to speak up at work—and how most leaders are blind to it. We explore what psychological safety really is (and isn’t), why two in five people still hold back, and why 70% of leaders think their teams feel safer than they actually do.
Gary shares practical insights into the four domains of psychological safety, the impact of accurately measuring it, and the powerful shifts he sees during the breakthrough sessions he runs with teams. We also flip the usual doom-and-gloom narrative, highlighting positive examples like Netflix’s “farming for dissent” approach.
If you want to build a high-trust, high-performance culture—this is where it starts.